Who hasn’t found themselves reaching for the closest food available when they’re tired and stressed? More and more research is proving that this isn’t all in our mind. Some foods really do lead to a change in our moods.
Carbohydrates That Calm
Twenty-five years ago, a neuroscientist at MIT found that feeding rats mostly starch and sugar made their levels of seretonin (the “good mood” brain chemical) increase. Carbohydrate, it turns out, likely leads to more tryptophan entering the brain. Tryptophan is then converted into seretonin, leading to a person becoming more calm, upbeat, and sleepy.
This is how some people medicate themselves with food – by reaching for cookies or pasta whenever they’re upset. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work. You must eat a meal consisting of 100% carbohydrate, on an empty stomach, to obtain the seretonin increase. Not all carbohydrates are created equal, either. Fruit, for instance, does not have the same effect on brain chemistry as other starches do. Foods that are rich in both carbohydrates and fat won’t work either, because the fat slows digestion too much.
To get the intended effect, you must not eat anything for four hours and then eat at least 30 grams of straight carbohydrate. Dry cereal, a bagel with jam, or a potato should do the trick.
Protein for Power
Of course, sometimes we don’t need to be calm and sleepy. Sometimes we need a great deal of mental acuity and concentration, so what happens if we eat a carbohydrate-rich lunch and then attempt to work the rest of the day? This is when it’s important to mix protein and carbohydrate. The protein will prevent the tryptophan from flooding your brain, and the rise in seretonin won’t occur. However, cutting carbohydrate out of a meal completely can have the opposite of the intended effect. Your blood sugar level may drop, leading to a drastic drop in energy. When you’re staring at the lunch menu, remember that too much fat also leads to sluggishness.
Why Dessert Makes Us Happy
Fat and sugar cause the brain to release endorphins, which send pleasure signals throughout the body. This would be fine, except humans are not particularly good at stopping at one cookie or sliver of cake. If you do have strong willpower, there is no better way to improve mood so safely or quickly.
Eating to Fight the Blues
Omega-3 fatty acids also increase seretonin levels in the brain. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, sardines, trout, herring, flaxseed oil, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. These foods seem to alleviate depression, both in the short and long term. If you’re feeling blue, these foods still seem to have positive effects on the moods of people who consume them.
Timing Your Meals for Energy
Blood sugar drops after four hours of going without food, causing a dip in energy. Eating usually fixes this within 20 to 30 minutes, but don’t assume that eating more will cause a more drastic, or faster, increase in energy.
Don’t expect food to be a magic bullet. For instance, the effect of diet on brain chemistry is minuscule when compared to a mood-altering medication. Not only that, but the effects of food usually aren’t felt for several hours. While it’s interesting and useful to keep the tips above in mind when deciding what to eat, sometimes your favorite food, regardless of its chemical makeup, will lift your mood just as certainly.
